Do you feel the heaviness of your body as the weather gets warmer? As matter of fact, in some surveys, we gain, on average, about five pounds in the winter. Now spring has arrived, and our senses are slowly wakening up. Why not take it as an opportunity to switch gears and eat more fruits and vegetables? It’s high time to do spring cleaning in our body and mind!
This weekend, I scouted around the farmers markets in the city to switch my diet mood. Did you know there are 28 farmers market locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island? And 10 out of 28 locations operate year-round. During peak season, over 100,000 customers visit the markets every week. Approximately 200 farmers participate in these markets and provide a variety of produce to NYC. Even though New Yorkers live in one of the most densely populated cities in the world, we can now enjoy fresher, locally grown food year-round.
A local food system with local farmers providing locally grown food to the community seems to be a simple concept. However, the concept of a local food system — an alternative to the global corporate models where producers and consumers are separated through a chain of processors, manufacturers, shippers and retailers — is still relatively new. Supporting local farmers and creating a sustainable community is a noble idea, but a hard truth is that farmers market produce is more expensive compared to mass-produced food in chain stores. Then, why should we eat local foods?
First of all, the produce is much fresher as many of the farmers drive to the city from only a few hours away. Second, locally grown produce goes through less of a distribution chain and is therefore handled by less people. Locally grown produce can thus be sold closer to its peak for ripeness than foods that have to go through a longer distribution chain, and that means we as consumers can enjoy produce at its peak taste and nutrition. Third, eating local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. When I grew up in Tokyo, I never had a strong sense that there is seasonality in food, for most of the food was shipped from around the world. Now I enjoy fruits and vegetables that are at their peak taste, that are the most abundant and that are the least expensive.
- Union Sq. Green Market in NYC
It’s a known fact that food and food quality powerfully affect health, well-being and happiness. Eating locally grown food gives us a powerful source of energy and nutrition. But, the higher cost prohibits everyone from enjoying the benefits. An important question then is, How we can create a society where everyone can enjoy fresher and more nutritious food at a low cost? My suggestion is to buy local when you can. No need to break your bank account to be local – that’s not realistic. But just be aware that your simple choice can mean big benefits to the community and society overall.
<More Information on farmer’s markets in NYC>
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